In the long line of dominance the Boston Celtics would exercise over the NBA the most legendary years were in his final years. Named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated (1968). Outside the classroom, Russell began playing basketball. This item: Bill Russell: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies) by Murry R. Nelson Hardcover $35.00 Only 8 left in stock - order soon. Jones and Elgin Baylor. Bill Russell Age: 86 Years, 5 Months, 26 Days [ Best Age Calculator ] Bill Russell Birth Day Of The Week: Monday : Bill Russell Age In Months: 1,037 Months, 26 Days: Bill Russell Age In Weeks: 4,512 Weeks, 4 Days: Bill Russell Age In Days: 31,588 Days: Bill Russell Age In Hours: 758,112 Hours (approx.) Even as he won on the court, Russell, an outspoken backer of the Civil Rights Movement, experienced his struggles off of it. Played professional basketball for the Boston Celtics. Russell had a miserable childhood life as he was sickly most of the time. He would not let his defeat in 1967 keep him down. During his three-year varsity career, in which he led the team to consecutive NCAA titles in 1955 and 1956, he averaged 20.7 points and 20.3 rebounds per game. Quick Facts: Bill Russell. The two who were previous friends were now very distant. He is a best-selling author and thirty years after he won he remained a recognizable face and a legend. Inducted into the Sport in Society Hall of Fame, 2000. An explanation van Breda Kolff gave to Chamberlain was "we're doing fine without you." He would direct his blocks to a player releasing on a fast break or off the backboard to keep the ball in play. In 1966 Wilt Chamberlain was traded from the Golden State warriors to his new hometown Philadelphia 76ers. No matter the game went to seven games when it should have been much shorter. After taking the first two at home the Lakers returned to the Boston Garden to lose the next two. Billy the Kid was a late 19th-century thief and gunfighter. Without Chamberlain and an injured Jerry West, it was not enough to defeat the Celtics, who won by only two points.Russell later said Chamberlain was week, and should have demanded to go back into the game. As head coach, compiled a 341-290 record (.540) in eight seasons. Bill Russell is still going strong at age 85, and he has the tweets to prove it. There are champions, and then there is Bill Russell. Read up on Bill Russell's biography, career, awards and more on ESPN. William Felton Russell, better known to the world as Bill Russell, was born in 1934, in Louisiana. Racial discrimination was prevalent in southern towns like West Monroe, where Russell was born. Russell is the champion of champions, as he owns the most NBA championship rings of any player in … While in Oakland he was very poor but became a skillful basketball player. Russell's 6'9" frame also earned plenty of attention. moviemuskie@yahoo.com, Other Works The Celtics who were supposedly way past their prime were led by Bill Russell to their eleventh championship, they were only the third team to repeat a championship, the first were the Minneapolis Lakers, and the second were the Boston Celtics. Bill Russell: biography. At 18 he went to college, at San Francisco, where he won two NCAA Championships in 1955 and 1956. Russell knew that he had won, but he wanted to win over Chamberlain, and did not. Enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame, 1975. [December 2003]. Russell was truly nothing short of a champion.Since his historic victory Bill Russell has been active in broadcasting for NBA games, and occasionally coaching, including the Seattle Supersonics in the 1970s and the Sacramento Kings in the 1980s. During his early life, Bill Russell struggled in his life as he faced some challenges including health issues. Bill O'Reilly hosted the popular cable news program 'The O'Reilly Factor,' which began airing on Fox News in 2001.